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The Madden Curse (sort of)

Someone posted on the blog last week that Skins long snapper Ethan Albright was the lowest rated player in the NFL on the Madden game. What a travesty. When I approached Ethan about it, he'd already heard. Some buddies emailed him about it. Seems odd to me though - the dude has not missed a game in the last 10 years and hasn't botched a snap in three years here, yet he gets kicked around by these tech geeks. Why? Just because he's a red-haired long snapper.

Ethan's a great guy and I got to know him well last training camp when I did a big feature on the life of a long snapper. Ain't now way he's the worst snapper in the NFL. The man takes pride in his craft, and was clearly a little ticked off by his Madden treatment.

"If they really want to be accurate with the game, do long snapper category," Albright said. "Somebody was telling me my spin move rating? Like that's going to help me snap the ball. Why would I need a spin move? If they wan to be accurate, have a snap be 90-percent accurate in games and then when its botched watch everyone jump all over the video game. That would add some excitement. But the way I understand it, you just press a button and it's always a good, perfect snap."

I haven't played Madden in like 10 years - man, did we have some epic, all-night tournaments back in Day Hall at Syracuse University - but I'm pretty out of the loop now. Seems like a fair enough suggestion to me,. though. I'd say Ethan deserves to be on the cover of Madden '08 after this snub, but then again, that's not always such a good thing, is it?

Randoms (I think this section works better if you read these aloud while imitating Larry King's voice. I know it works for my editor, Cindy): Here's how lame I am. I'm going to guess the eight guys on the practice squad, while admittedly not giving it a ton of thought: WR Mike Espy, DL Joe Sykes, RB AJ Harris, WR Steve Harris, OL Kili Lefotu, LB Spencer Havner, DL Anthony Montgomery, TE Buck Ortega. If somebody's keeping score at home, bust my chops Monday when the list is out. We'll see how many I get right. Originally, I had S Reed Doughty on this list, but Ryan O from the Wash Times is convinced this dude is the real deal, and a lock to make a roster spot. I think he's got a man crush on Reed ...

Anyone heard the whereabouts of Larry Hill? Remember the former ref the team hired to handle its video replays in 2004? That move went about as well as the Eddie Johnson signing the other day ...
If there's work for Jeff George in this league, can Ryan Leaf by far behind? Would love to see the two of them compete for the third QB spot in Oakland. Sounds like a reality series. Get me FOX on the horn, now ... With the dawn of hockey training camp nearing, I suggest ya'll rent "Slapshot," the classic movie that asks, but never quite answers, that eternal question: "Who owns the Chief? Owwwwnns."

Jason - thanks again for doing this blog, whatever they make you call it. Re the practice squad and defensive backs, i think Reed Doughty may be there cause they wont keep 5 safeties and 5 CBs right? or if Reed is the real deal, then this new Detroit Fox guy competes with Rumph and Morton for the last DB spot?

Since you went out on a limb on the Squad, why dont you try predicting the last people cut too?

Every year after final cuts there are always a bazillion articles about how so and so got cut and how shocking that was, only to see them get re-signed or put on the practice squad a day later. This is one request from a loyal fan to Redskins beat reporters Jason La Canfora and Howard Bryant to avoid the "shock" article this year.

Actually, y'all is the correct way to spell y'all. The contraction is combining the words you and all. Look it up. And who friggin' cares about such trivial grammatical errors on a blog anyway. I'm much more interested in the content, and I'm an English teacher.

Sorry y'all and ya'll and yal'l for the techical problems on the blog today. This was all way over my head and I promise in no way was I responsible for the issue (now, the rushed spelling and all that, is all me. Get used to it.)
As for picking the entire 53 man roster - I'm lame but I'm not that lame.
Ryan is a good dude and I enjoy having a little fun with him. Trust me, he's got nothing in common with the crazy zealot who runs his paper. Can't blame a dude for his boss being nuts.

I do think Reed ends up "squaded," but since Ryan has basically written the dude's life story 2 or 3 times already during this training camp, I thought I'd defer to the expert on this one.
Cheers.

Dan Snyder and Tom Cruise. Never have such tiny people created such a big maelstrom. Cruise isn't going to make anyone like "Mr." Snyder any more, and I'm afraid "Mr." Snyder isn't going to rescue Cruise's sagging career.

Note to "Mr." Snyder: just keep paying St. Joe. After the ol' Ballcoach, you almost lost the entire fan base. With St. Joe back at the helm, we'll still be fans, even if you go 2-14 (2 wins against the Cowboys are all we ask at a minimum).

Note to Cruise: start making movies that don't suck. And hire Pat Kingsley back (his old publicist, for those wondering). For nearly two decades, Kingsley kept your insanity under wraps. When you fired her and replaced her with your sister, you were exposed for all the world to see as a crazy kook. You need Ms. Kingsley.

Special note to Pat Kingsley: congratulations for getting out while you could.

Thanks for the contraction lesson Mr. English teacher, too bad you missed the mistake in the article and misread my comment... Content is an important aspect in making an critical opinions BTW I'm a Special Ed teacher. But anyway, I'll (not Il'l, right CY?) give Jason La Canfora some love. Sorry for not saying it the first time, but I loved the Madden rating insight. I never thought to look to see who was the lowest, you just automatically check to see if Champ Bailey is still a 99 and then wonder if Shawn Springs will play this fall. Keep on bloggin on Jason.